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to the opportunity afforded by the postponement of the budget . 101 the shipoiviiers to hold public meetings , and to insist that the provisions of the commercial treaty shall be made dependent on placing British shipping in French ports on an equal footing with French shipping . It may be useful to remind gentlemen connected with the civil service of a rumour that Air . Gladstone intends proposing that retirement , under the superannuation bill , shall be made compulsory at sixty-five . On Monday and Tuesday Lord Chief Justice Cockburn was engaged in

trying the case of AA ' elzenstom and wife against StoliAvasser . The plaintiff claimed damages for an assault committed by the defendant by kissing plaintiff ' s wife , and also made a demand for money for goods delivered to defendant . The jury Avithout any hesitation gave a verdict for the defendant , believing him the victim of a conspiracy . Ou Tuesday at Coventry were committed a horrible murder and suicide . A butcher by name Henry FaiA'Son , fourteen or fifteen j'ears ago married the woman AA'hom he has IIOAV deprived of life . Shortly after their marriage it appears they

separated , certain circumstances having come to the husband's knowledge which caused him to suspect-his wife ' s chastity previous to their union . About five months ago his wife came to live ivith him again , and since then has been under his roof . At ten o ' clock on Tuesday morning , the house still remaining closed , it was resolved to force an entrance . The bed-room presented a terrible spectacle . The bed , the ceiling , and the floor were all bespattered with blood . The wretched man , FaAA-son , lay "doubled up" at the foot of the bed , his throat cut ,

stabbed in the breast , and his brains bloivn out . A knife and a gun lay n _ ar at hand . On the bed lay the unfortunate woman with her throat cut . Both were quite dead . FOREIGN NEWS . —It was formally announced iu the Monitcur of Saturday , that , iu conformity with the intentions of the Emperor , Marshal Randon , the Minister of AVav , will submit a project to the Legislative Body , reducing the contingent of the class 1859 from 140 , 000 to 100000 men . AA ' e may observe that the announcementthough it may

, , be hailed with satisfaction by Frenchmen liable to the conscription , does not imply any resolution to pursue a pacific policy .- -A few days ago tho Thiivers AA-as suppressed hi consequence of the publication in its columns of an " encyclical letter" from the Pope , which commented in strong terms , on the recent policy of the Emperor Napoleon with

reference to thc Romagna . Shortly after , tho same letter ivas published m every newspaper in Paris ; and this document , which caused the confiscation of AI , Veuillot ' s property , ivas read in all the Paris churches , on Sunday last , in obedience to tho orders of the archbishop . Cardinal Alorlot may find occasion to regret , before long , the peaceful days he passed at Lyons , and the moment when his activity in dragging struggling wretches from a watery grave during the inundations of 1857 , first brought him under the notice of the Emperor . The archbishop is said

to have lately had an interview with his Majesty , in order to point out tho difficulty of his position as a spiritual subject of Pio Nono . AA'ith respect to thc annexation of Savoy to France , the Constitution'nel observes that the language of the French journals is "but the result of a presentiment of public opinion . " At . Grandguillot seems to profess the greatest surprise that any one should raise an objection to so natural a proceeding . Why should Savoy be refused a right whicli is conceded to provinces on the other side of thc Alps ? Sardinia is about to

receive a great accession of territory , and why should France not be allowed to receive , for all she has done , a "geographical frontier ?" AA ' e learn by a telegram from Paris , that Lord Cowley had , a feAv days ago , communicated to AL Thouvenel a project of the English Cabinet for the definitive settlement of the Italian question . Five distinct conditions arc laid down in this project . 1 . The doctrine of lion intervention is to be interpreted in an absolute sense ; 2 . Venetia is to continue under Austrian rule ; o . The Italian provinces are once more to act on their OAVU constitution , and if they persevere in their resolution to be annexed to Sardinia , no opposition is to be made to the accomplishment

of their wishes ; 4 . Sardinia should not interfere ; 5 . ancl iranee should withdraw her troops from Rome and other parts of Italy . AI . Thouvenel is said to haA'e replied that before giving a definitive answer the French government desired to be acquainted with the vieiA-s of Austria , and some days must elapse before the courier who has been despatched to Vienna can return . The text of Count Cavour ' s circular addressed to the Sardinian diplomatic agents at foreign courts has been published in ¦ full by thc Perseveranza of Alilau . The Sardinian premier briefly calls

attention to the circumstances under ivhich he has resumed the direction of affairs . He observes that the government of Victor Emmanuel "had invoked a congress to arrest the dangers of the moment , " and that it had been accepted ivith confidence by the populations of Italy . The Italians had hoped itat a congr-ss would meet with the intention of affirming the annexation to Sardinia , and that meanwhile they occupied theinseh'es in increasing and disciplining their forces in order to be ready to meet events . The count concludes by saying that "the king ' s

government have no longer the power of averting the natural and inevitable course of events . " It is by no means certain that the relations betAA'ecn the governments of France and Sardinia are of the most friendly character . The great difficulty is the question of the annexation of Savoy to France . ¦ AVe hope it is true that the Emperor of Austria has received the Hungarian deputation , ancl has promised , "in a legal way , all their legitimate wishes shall be complied with . " AfcaiiAvhilc we learn that the Austriaiis are constructing IIOAV forts round Resell iera , where a large hospital has been established . The English government in making to Austria , with the consent of France , the proposal for the settlement ot

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the Italian question announced in yesterday s message , stated that m exchange for the 2 > oints to bo agreed to by Austria , it would bo understood that Sardinia will respect thc Austrian dominion in Venetia Austria replied that she herself will know IIOAV to protect A ' onotia . BRO . J . DISTIN ' CONCERT . —Bro . Distin , once the famed trumpeter of the London concerts , & c ., gave his farewell concert on Wednesday , the 1 st inst . His programme was a very attractive one , and when put forth

included no less than twenty-nine vocal pieces , and , in addition , solos for the violin , flute , and concertina . Amongst the vocalists ivere Madame Rudersclorff , Catherine Hayes , Aliss Eylcs , Alias Susanna Cole , Mrs . Theodore Distin , Alisses Harrington , Atascall , Stanley , Madame Coiiyngham , Aliss Aledora Collins , & c . ; Air . Suchet Champion , Bro . LaAvler , Air . Alorgau , Bro . Percy , Bro . George Perren , Air . Cummins , Bro . Theodore Distin ; and , as instrumentalists and accompanyists , Air . Viotti Collins , Alaster Drew Dean , aud Air . Francisco Berger . The concert was most excellent , but so far as Bro . Distin was concerned , an utter failure , there not being above £ 10 in the room—not enough to pay preliminary expenses . The Alasons should have supported onr brother in his hour of need better than this .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

"AL Af . "—AA ' e would advise the Lodge to expel the brother at once ; and let him appeal to the Board of General Purposes if he . dare . " A CRAFTSMAN IN B . N . A . "—AA ' e shall bo happy to receiA'C the offered communication . "A Youxc MASON . "—Alost emphatically , " No . " "It . A . "—The subject is passed , and a discussion cannot bo reopened

concerning it . "A RECENT INITIATE . "— -Apply to tho Alaster of your Lodgo— -tho friend who introduced you—or any intelligent Alason . THE ART UNION OP GREAT BRITAIN . —A Mr . Samuel H . Dean , of Manchester , has hacl the impertinence to send us an advertisement of upivards of tAventy linos in length , for which he modestly offers us a

shilling each insertion , with a commission of 7-i per cent , on any tickets we may be enabled to sell—the price of such tickets being also one shilling . There are to be upwards of six hundred prizes ; and at a moderate computation we find it will require , including expenses , not less than one hundred and fifty thousand members or shillings to carry out tho scheme . Notwithstanding the scheme is stated to be " under the sanction of her Majesty ' s Alost Honourable Privy Council , " wo

cannot look upon it in any other light than an attempt to catch shillings , upon a par with those adventurers who inform the Jolly Greens of the human species hoiv to make rapid fortunes hythe sale of baked potatoes—the manufacture of corn plaister—or other ingenious devices , out of which the gentlemen who are so kind as to give the advice , fail to make fortunes themselves . AA ' e should observe that no time is specified for drawing this Art Union , and of course , the longer the requisite number of ""flats" are in being brought together , the greater will bo the expenses , and the number of the members must be increased to meet the requisite demands on the funds .

"' E . A . "—A person ivho has taken the Rose Croix , or 18 ° , abroad , is not in right thereof admissible to au English Royal Arch Chapter ; ancl consequently cannot be recognized as a petitioner for a neiv Chapter . Bro . W . H . AVARNER , of Ross , Herefordshire , P . M ., 141 , and Prov . G . Reg ., requests us to state that he was NOT the author of a letter which appeared iu the Freemasons' Magazine in the autumn of 1859 signed ' ' An

, Old P . M . and one in the Province , " relative to the appointments made by the Rev . Dr . BOAVIOS , the Prov . G . AI . at the last Prov . G . Lodge . Those who attribute the letter to Bro . AA ' amer are evidently on the wrong scent .

"V . AA' . "—There is no laiv compelling a Chapter attached to a Lodge to be hold in the same building as the Lodge . For instance , one Lod"e is held at the Freemasons' Tavern , its Chapter at the Thatched House . Lodge No . 4 !) has not met for many years , and if not resuscitated before next Grand Lodge , ivill be struck off the roll ; Chapter No . 49 flourishes at Anderton ' s Hotel . Lodge No . 109 meets at the Freemasons' Tavern and the Chapter at Radley's . Lodge No . 190 at the Holly Bush , Ifampstead , its Chapter at Radley ' s , & c .

_ ' J . H ., Norwich . —The portrait of the Earl of Zetland was issued with tho number of October loth . " G . B ' s . " suggestion shall be attended to , " R . A . "— AVe do not understand your question .